Budget and Council Meeting, Dec 10, 2019

Through the next few months Council will be meeting frequently to discuss the 2020/2021 budget and the various items that are in the budget. We will be meeting as the Budget Committee, where we can delve in to more detail related to the budget items, and will then switch to meet as Council, where we discuss more broad items and give final approval to the budget items.

The next meeting of the Budget Committee and the Council is happening on Tuesday, Dec 10, 2019, starting at 9:30am. The agenda, reports, and information items are freely available and are linked below. I’ve also noted certain items of importance and will be going through these in detail over the week-end. If you would like to get together and discuss them then please let me know by contacting me at either paul.russell@halifax.ca or at 902-240-0441.

The budget meeting starts at 9:30am, and you can see the agenda at:  https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council/december-10-2019-budget-committee

Items of note for the budget meeting are:

– The supplementary information report here https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/regional-council/191210bc3info.PDF that talks about the sidewalks on Old Beaver Bank Road and Stokil Drive. I had also asked, separately, about continuing the active transportation trail that is on Cobequid road, that would connect Sucker Brook to First Lake. There was uncertain information provided on that so I left it off of my request for a supplemental report. Lower Sackville needs many sidewalks, and those three seem to be needed the most.

The council meeting starts immediately following the budget meeting, and you can see the agenda at: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council/december-10-2019-halifax-regional-council

Items of note for the council meeting are:

– The Cushing Hill public presentation, which starts at 6pm. The report can be seen here; https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/regional-council/191210rc121.pdf This is a project that I’ve been familiar with since I was a serving member of the North West Planning Advisory Committee. This area is just across the 102 highway along the Bedford Highway, basically across the street from the Bedford Legion. There are a number of factors that make this area a challenge for development, but also compelling for development.

– The Stadium recommendation. You can see the report here: https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/regional-council/191210rc1514.pdf I have seen the latest proposal from SSE and, while it is better than the first proposal, it still leaves a lot of questions unanswered and it leaves the city with a lot of risk.

I will be going through all of the items in preparation for these meetings. I would appreciate your help.

Please let me know if you have any questions, observations, comments, etc., that you would like me to bring forward.

You can reach me by e-mail at paul.russell@halifax.ca or at 902-240-0441.